Vacuum rupture operated pump



Jan. 10, 1950 wlRTANEN 2,494,529

VACUUM RUPTURE OPERATED PUMP Filed Feb. 23, 1945 @X ZIKEN 0R.W

Patented Jan. 10, 1950 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE VACUUM RUPTURE OPERATED PUMP Axel M. Wirtann, Eveleth, Minn.

Application February 23, 1945, Serial No. 579,347

This invention relates to improvements in a vacuum operated pump and to one particularly adapted for use in supplying air to live bait in confined bodies of Water such as minnows in pails or other types of containers used by fishermen.

It is contemplated that the pump may also be used to advantage for other purposes than that at present under specific considerations so well known to the fishing sportsman.

One of the principal objects sought at this time is that of providing simple and practical means of utilizing the suction of the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine commonly used upon boats in the practice of fishing, to operate a pump to provide air to live bait, such as minnows or the like, necessarily confined in a relatively small container of water. H

Another object is to provide such means as will assure a constant supply of air irrespective of the fluctuations of the vacuum producing means supplying the operating power of the pump.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the further description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing forming part of this application, and in which, like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Fig. 1 is a certain vertical sectional view of the preferred type of pump showing its relation to cooperative parts in carrying into practice the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic lay-out illustrating the relative position of the various cooperating parts.

In the drawing, the numeral I represents a common outboard motor boat as used in hookand-line fishing, and 2 is the motor, such being equipped, as is essential, with a carburetor, the latter having an air intake, commonly referred to as the intake manifold, for automatic supply of air to the engine fuel.

This manifold or intake is illustrated at 3, and is directly connected with the power receiving port 4 of the relatively small pancake-shaped pump casing 5.

The pump is preferably circular in form as viewed axially, but somewhat flattened upon opposite sides as at 6 and I with the latter being equipped with the diametrically-disposed holding clip 8 for slipping down against the inner wall of the bait receptacle, pail, or whatever th case may be.

The circumferential wall of the pump is preferably of outwardly extending, rather fiat V-shape to provide an annular flat flange 9 extending wholly about the inner marginal rim of each half of the pump casing, thus forming an ideal flat surface for making a solid fixed union of the two parts as well as holding therebetween the similar annular flange or marginal edge I of the resilient diaphragm II.

3 Claims. (Cl. 230-52) 2 This diaphragm together with the smaller fixed division wall I2, divides the interior of the pump into three separate chambers: I3, I4, and I5, the largest one I3, by its alternate expansion and contraction, forming the power generating chamber. The fluctuating capacity of the intermediate chamber I4 is, of course, in synchronism with that of chamber I3, and the chamber I4 is equipped with a simple flap or check valve I6 which controls outside air intake port I! and will allow said chamber I4 to increase in capacity at each contraction of the power chamber I3 and thereby fill said chamber I4 with outside air through said port II; then, when the reverse action or expansion of the chamber I3 occurs, the

chamber I4 must discharge its contents, and, to accomplish which, the second simple flap-like discharge port and valve I8 is provided which feeds said forced air into the chamber I5.

This chamber I5 may aptly be referred to as the expansion chamber and has proved to function admirably as such when in operation in keeping a substantially uniform flow of air into the conductor tube I9 attached to the outlet port 20 from the chamber I5 leading into the water in the bait receptacle 2I in the boat I, depending upon size of discharge.

The connection of the chamber I3 in the pump 5 with the intake manifold 3 of the motor 2 i accomplished by the tube 22.

The central portion of the diaphragm II is reenforced and made substantially rigid by means of the two metal discs 23 and 24 being clamped upon opposite sides thereof by the central bolt 25, the inner disc 24 also holding firmly in place one end coil of the two expansive helical springs 26 and 21. The opposite end of the larger spring 26 bears against and is practically the full size of the adjacent flat face of the pump and is designed to keep the chamber I3 in its fully expanded condition at all times. p The spring 21 is preferably conical in shape with its smaller end terminating in and carrying the flanged valve stem 28 which protrudes axially through the hole or port 29- formed in the center of the flat wall 6 of the pump 5, and it has been learned by experience that the capacity of this hole about the plug 28 must be some greater than that of the vacuum intake port 4 of the pump.

The stem 28 protrudes through and beyond the wall 6 of the pump, and the outermost end thereof is of bulb-like form for convenient reception of the vacuum cup-shaped rupture valve 3:] which acts intermittently as a closure for the port 29, and the necessity of this cup-like shaped closure will appear later.

Thus, when the proper connections have been made as described and illustrated, intermediate the water in the bait receptacle and the intake manifold of the engine through the pump 5 and Now the relative expan sion determined distance towards the head 6 of the Y pump, the pressure upon the smaller spring?! will be such as to force'the valve 30 outwardly a'Wa'y -from the pOrtZ-H, thus admitting-outside air iiito 'the chamber -I 3 and permitting the dia-- phragm H to return to 'its former positionsimulta'ne'ouslywith -the return of --the'-va1ve -30 --to its original position against the wall 6 and aga in closingthe port 29 readyior anothercycle of vtiperationby the vacuumof the engine,

The novelfunctioning of the resilient closure or rupture-valved!) =is, that -when sufiicientpressure-cf the s-tem 28 has been developed toopen.

it the ieast particle, it will instantly spring "to its iull' open position-and function most admira-bly as' again'st any other type of valve thus far-tried, they having i'ailedutterly toso function.

It' is apparentthat as the diaphragm -H is thus reciprooatingthe chamber 14 of the pump will be alternatelyfilled and *emptied wit-hair,

the outside air entering said chamber through the check-valved port H,- before' described,-and

the discharge taking place through the 'iikecontrolled'port 18 into the expansion chamber from --'where -a-continuous supply of such-air is conducted into the waterwithin the bait contai-ner.

It is Y to be I noted i that m the construction of tha ump 5, the flange 3| -of-'the-'stem 28" must be radially slotted or grooved-as 'at-'=3-2,'=or the equivalentjto freely admit all radia llythei'eabout when fthe plug is iullyputwardlvextended, as

the only object for the s-tem is 'to pro'vide an adequate: support for the valve 30 eitherof its extreme positions.

Having=thus described =my invention,-=what -I plaimsa-nd desire to secure by Letters Patent-is:

1. in" a vacuum operated pump-having a casing, a 'reciprocable 'd'iaphragm dividing-said casing into' a power chamber-and .a pumping chamber, said pumping chamber having" a "valved air intakeiport, and a valved air outlet port, means for operating said-pump comprising means biasing said diaphragm to "normal position where said pumping chamber isin' reduce'd condition,

.a connection having an -opening-to said power chamber "to which a vacuum source is-attached =to:exhaust air from said power chamber whereby said diaphragm movesagainst-said biasing means :and air enterssaid pumping-chamber through said air intake port and enlarges said pumping chamber, :said power chamber -ha ving a secorid eopening ltherethrou'gh sof-i-greater-fisize than nrst said opening, :andxa Lrupture :valve for: said secorid opening which is controlled by said' diaphra'gm to open as the latter reaohesia ipi-edetermined position and overcome said vacuum sourcewh'ereby said biasing means forces said 'diaphragm back to normal position closingisaid'rupturevalve and forcing air dOllh-Of said pumpingchamber through said outlet port.

2. A pump for operation by a source of vacuum comprising, a casing, a reciprocable diaphragm within said casing and dividing same into a power chamber and a pumping chamber, said power ,cha'mber having-an opening therethrough opposite said diaphragm, a valve installed over said opening to open and close same, means controlled by said diaphragm to open said valve, means biasingsaid diaphragm to normal position awayfrom said opening, said power chamber havinga second opening therethrough of smaller sizethan said first mentioned opening to which a source of vacuum is connected to create a vacuum and thereby close said valve and draw said diaphragm toward said first mentioned opening against saidbiasing means, said first mentioned means being adapted to open said "valve assaid diaphragm reaches a predetermined position "andrupture'the vacuum created in said power chamber by' said vacuum source whereupon sai'd d-iaphragm' isreturned to normal .positiori bysaidbiasi-ng means, said-pumping chain berhavingavalvedport through which: ainenters as said diaphragm is "moved :by said vacuum source, and said pllmping chamber having a valved-outlet port through which air is forced assaid diaphragmreturns to normal position.

h-pum' zi for operation' by a vacuum source comprising a walled -casing, a reciprocable diaphragmwithin said casing-and 'dividing sameinto ti -pumping chamber and a power chamber,- said power chamber having an opening therethrough opposite saiddiaphragm, a vacuumrupture valve installedover --saidzopening'on theouter side of said casing for opening and closing said opening, a springinsta'lled vv'ithin 'powercha'mber between saidi'diaphr-agm and said valve toibias the: latter towards open position, .a second spring "installed between said' diaphragm and thewall of said casing to bias said diaphragm a-Wa'yironi said opening; saidpoweri chamber having anL- pening therethro'ugh "to "-which lasource of vacuum is attached i-to mdraw said valveto closed position and-causes. said :diaphragm to 'rmove against'the bias of said second spring, said pumpingzchamber havingz an air. intake port rand arr: air exhaust portgsaidamortsFleeing check'wvalved so that air enters said pumping chamber as said diaphragm moves-toward said rupturevalve and air is iorced from 1 said pumping *zchamber when said-diaphragmxmoves in :the oppositedirection, andsaid first 'cnentioned aspring being FEL'dfi'PlSEd -to ':open

said-'rupturewalve when said diaphragm reaches a predetermined .position for overcoming -said vacuum source permitting said second spring to return said diaphragm .to normal position.

'ADCEL WIRTANEN.

REFERENCES CITED '=Ihe following references=are of record in the file 'f this patent:

UNITED .STATES PATENTS Johnston July '16; 1940 

